Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Maryland will offer a $100 incentive to any state employee who gets vaccinated for COVID-19, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday.
Why it matters: The incentive comes as vaccine demand is hitting a wall well before the U.S. has reached herd immunity. State employees in Maryland who have already been vaccinated will also get a retroactive $100 payment.
- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice also announced last week his state will offer a $100 savings bond for people ages 16–35 as an incentive to get the shot.
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced a program Monday that will give anyone who gets vaccinated in May a free beer.
State of play: 62% of adult Marylanders have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, per CDC data. That's above the national average of 56.1%.
What he's saying: “With this incentive program, we are further encouraging state employees to get vaccinated to help keep themselves, their families, and their communities healthy and safe,” said Hogan.
- “Incentives like this are another way to reinforce the importance of getting vaccinated, and we strongly encourage businesses across the state to consider offering incentives to their workers as well."